Governor: Drug Flow Must End

Baliles Calls For Worldwide Effort

WILLIAMSBURG — Gov. Gerald Baliles on Wednesday appealed to international customs officials for help in fighting the flow of illegal drugs into the United States.

"This is a problem that will neither go away nor solve itself. It will require unprecedented effort by governments, at all levels, throughout the world," Baliles said at the 21st session of the Customs Cooperation Council's policy commission.

The commission, which acts as the board of directors of the 104-nation Customs Cooperation Council and seeks to bring uniformity to customs procedures worldwide, is meeting this week at the College of William and Mary. Delegates from 18 nations, including Australia, Canada, Czechoslovakia, West Germany, Turkey and the United States, are in attendance.

"No single nation, unless it is willing to throw up walls against the world, will stop the problem of drugs, lacking support from other nations," Baliles said.

"It is ironic that at the time when international trade is effectively working to reduce trade barriers between nations, drugs are creating an incentive to arm and strengthen borders," he added.

Although trade issues top this session's agenda, drug enforcement will be discussed, said Thomas Hayes, the commission's secretary general.

"It's increasingly recognized by all countries as a major threat to their communities and a top priority for our organization," said the native Australian.

Earlier this month the U.S. Customs Service enlisted the Virginia National Guard's help in stopping illegal drugs coming through Hampton Roads.

"We're putting on a full-court press," U.S. Customs Commissioner William von Raab said Wednesday.

Illegal drugs are "the biggest problem the U.S. is facing," he added.

Customs officials predict their efforts, coupled with that of the Guard, will increase the examination of cargo containers imported through Hampton Roads from about 10 percent to more than 40 percent.

Also Wednesday, the Virginia Inland Port was officially approved by the Customs Service as a port of entry.

That designation allows the Warren County truck-rail facility to operate as a customs port of entry into the U.S. for foreign goods.